General Chat

The trial of Kay Gilderdale, the mother who helped her daughter die after a painful struggle with M.E, has placed the disabling illness in the spotlight again. As Life Matters reported last year there is a therapy that can help relieve symptoms and can in some case provide a cure for M.E, yet it is still not widely available to all sufferers. EMMA HARROWING talks to Andy Carolan, who was lucky enough to have had the therapy and has made a complete recovery.

As Andy Carolan from Sprowston rushed home from work there was only one thing on his mind; to get ready to go out to meet friends for the evening.

He was like any other 32 year old. He had a full time job in retail and a very active social life. He was also working towards getting his full motorcycle licence.

Then in 2006 he became ill with flu-like symptoms, which he recovered from but then developed again. These flu-like episodes quickly became frequent and his overall health deteriorated. He had gone from an active 32 year old to someone who was barely able to walk in a matter of months.

“My GP initially signed me off from work for one week with chronic fatigue, this was then expanded to one month, then two months and eventually I lost my job,” says Andy.

“After becoming ill I not only lost my job I lost contact with friends as I could not longer go out and socialise. I was housebound and suffered from sleepless nights, constant muscle pain, headaches and fatigue. It felt like my body had undergone a complete systemic failure. Even the most basic physical and mental tasks became a struggle. It became almost impossible to concentrate on anything as it took too much valuable energy.”

Over the course of several months Andy had various hospital appointments for blood tests and an ECG. All of the tests came back clear. Finally in June 2006 after doctors' had eliminated all other possible causes he was diagnosed with M.E.

“When I was first diagnosed with M.E I really didn't know much about the illness and thought it would be something that I would have for a few weeks or months then it would disappear and I would get on with the rest of my life,” says Andy.

“As the months passed, I tried various management techniques, restrictive diets and therapies but nothing helped. The medical profession had no answers, any publications about the illness were filled with conflicting advice. It looked like it was going to be something that I couldn't escape from. It was at that point that I felt that there was truly no hope and that I would be this way forever.”

Andy had been suffering for M.E for three years, during which he had tried lots of remedies and treatments to no avail. Then after reading an article on the Life Matters pages in the Norwich Evening News last year his life turned a corner.

“It was thanks to the article the Evening News ran last year that I found out about Mickel Therapy and how it can help people with M.E,” says Andy.

“From what I read about it in the article and online it made a lot of sense to me and I thought that I would try it out.”

Mickel Therapy was developed by Dr Mickel a former GP in Elgin, Scotland, who has dedicated over ten years developing a treatment for M.E. The therapy involves identifying and rectifying the cause of the symptoms rather than working directly on the symptoms. It also requires the patient to take an active role in the therapy.

The theory is that symptoms are the result of a malfunctioning hypothalamus. When it is not functioning normally, it signals to the pituitary gland to secrete stress hormones, which cause the various symptoms. This can be corrected by understanding the principles of Mickel Therapy and going through the steps, guided by the therapist.

Andy went to see Norwich therapist Gill Gough for his treatment. Gill has also suffered from ME but Mickel Therapy helped her recover. She was so impressed by the results of the therapy that she decided to train as a therapist so that she could help others. She runs a therapy practice in Great Yarmouth and has recently set up a clinic in Norwich at The Royal in Bank Plain.

Says Andy: “I did feel quite nervous when I went to my first session as I didn't really know what to expect. But when I got there Gill was very understanding and soon made me feel at ease about what the therapy involves. Mickel Therapy is a talking therapy that helps you to understand why symptoms are there and how you can work with them and not against them as most traditional therapies do. Gill's experience of having M.E herself means that she has a great insight into what you are going through.”

Andy's therapy started last September and after just six sessions he has managed to rid himself of the disease that had robbed him of his life.

“I actually started feeling better from the first session, but I do realise that it can vary between patients,” says Andy.

“The therapy itself is based upon the tools and techniques that you learn during the sessions so most of the recovery takes place between those sessions. I started to notice that my energy and strength were returning and I was able to do more without the consequences that had become normal for me after doing any form of activity. The constant headaches and muscular pain stopped and my sleep patterns slowly started to return to normal.

“Although I no longer have M.E the tools that I learned during the therapy have now become second nature to me and I use them every day.”

“Thanks to Mickel Therapy I am able to do all the things that I was unable to for such a long time. I regularly go for long cycle rides, play badminton and have just returned from Centreparcs Elveden where I was able to take part in all the activities on offer without any ill effects (however, I did find that I'm dreadful at Squash!) I am also expanding upon my job as a freelance illustrator/cartoonist which is proving to be a fun and rewarding career.”

Dr David Mickel, the founder of Mickel Therapy believes that the therapy can help the majority of M.E sufferers even if symptoms are severe.

Says Dr. Mickel: “It was a pleasure watching Andy's recovery unfold as he applied the Mickel Therapy tools.

“The therapy has proven to be equally effective in all cases regardless of length of illness or severity. Of course some people recover quicker than others and for the more severe cases it can take a bit longer to get the treatment fully underway due to de-conditioning and prolonged bed rest.

“In the last ten years of providing and overseeing the provision of Mickel Therapy for more than 3000 cases several chronic cases have reported successful recovery.

“As a doctor who has committed the last ten years to developing a treatment for M.E, I was filled with a plethora of emotions when I heard about the plight of Kay Gilderdale and her family. Too many times have I seen the degree of suffering that this condition can cause both physically and psychologically due to the misunderstandings and mystery surrounding it.

“My main frustration is in knowing the potential of Mickel Therapy as a successful treatment for M.E, but the research required to prove this is very difficult to have carried out. The case of Kay Gilderdale strengthens my resolve to have the Mickel Therapy process studied in full so it can be made available to all sufferers.”

Andy agrees: “This therapy is something that should be made known to all M.E. sufferers as the medical professions' care of people with this debilitating condition is woefully inadequate and in some cases makes the sufferer's health even worse.”

“Mickel Therapy has given me my life back and so much more!”

For more information about Mickel Therapy contact Gill Gough on 07920 179131 or visit www.gillgoughtherapy.co.uk



What is Mickel Therapy

Dr David Mickel MBChB MRCGP qualified as a Medical Practitioner in 1992 going on to specialise in General Practice in 1996, working full-time in a practice in Elgin, Scotland.

He developed an interest in M.E and Fibromyalgia during this time and frustrated by attempts to treat the conditions went on to develop the process of treatment now known as Mickel Therapy.

In 2002, following the success of this treatment, he resigned from his NHS position as General Practitioner in order to commit fully to treating sufferers. He currently provides a private therapy service in Elgin treating M.E and Fibromyalgia and other 'Energy Disorders' such as IBS, Anxiety and Depression as physical conditions.

The therapy involves identifying and rectifying the cause of the symptoms rather than working directly on the symptoms. It also requires the patient to take an active role in the therapy.

The therapy does not resort to medication, dietary change, supplements or psychotherapy.

Mickel Therapy can treat all types of energy disorders including CFA, Post Viral Fatigue, M.E, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, anxiety, depression and migraines.

About Gill Gough

Gill suffered from ME for seven years before learning about Mickel Therapy. A course of treatment took her from having no energy and sleeping for large parts of the day back to her pre-ME days of being full of life and energy.

Gill trained as an SRN and Midwife and her nursing background helped with understanding how ME was affecting her body and causing her symptoms. She then chose to train as a therapist in order to help others overcome this debilitating illness.


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I may contact Gill and see if she can help me but probably the cost will stop me from going further.

Lizx

Not sure about this Liz. I googled Mickel Therapy and a lot of sites say it is a scam.

This is just one of the many

http://www.hfme.org/lightning.htm

Susan
x

Susan, this therapy was discussed in our local paper a while back and now this article is in there under a page called Life Matters.

I don't know if the paper checked anything out, as I wouldn't expect them to be able to write these claims if there wasn't something in it.

Maybe if I contact Gill Gough I can find out more and ask her about the sites that disclaim the therapy, see what she says.
I will call her next week when I have more time and add to this thread then.

Lizx

I just went on to the Mickel therapy site and the information he (Mickel) gave was very interesting and is exactly the way my fm is, i.e. the swollen glands and such and the way I always feel exhausted even after a sleep. I haven't woken feeling refreshed for many years now.

Maybe this therapy isn't sufficient to help ME sufferers but fm and cfs aren't quite as bad as ME altho very debilitating and anything that might help is worth investigating.

Liz, I will be very interested to see how you get on after contacting Gill Gough.

I have had problems since 1997 and eventually had to give up work. (I really didn't want to).
I am now a pensioner and feel slightly better about my inability to work. Had CBT last year, which certainly helped the depression & anxiety part of the illness.
Am physically low at the moment but not as bad as I have been. Still get all the aches and pains, low energy, poor concentration and memory and disturbed sleep patterns. But try to find the bright side!
Being online is a great help, as I can use it at whatever time of day my energy allows.

Good luck, I hope that you have a good 2010.

Tess

Hi Tess, is it ME or fm you suffer with?

There was a quite scathing letter in our paper a few days later than this article, from someone from a local ME support group saying that cfs is all too often confused with ME but I do think fm, cfs, and me are linked, not heard of ms being linked in the same way tho. It seems as tho all the condemnation of this therapy is from those with ME as tho the other illnesses are nothing compared to that, but they are debilitating too and it might be better if there was more support for all the illnesses and people trying the therapies. Listening to Dr MIckel on his site, he spoke a lot of sense and described my symptoms very clearly and explained in ways I could understand how things in your body work. It was enlightening.

I plan to try and talk with Gill next week on the phone.

Lizx

Liz, no main trouble was that although a Neurologist said that I must have

Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome or ME my GP would not agree.

Therefore I couldn't get any DLA and took me years to get referred for CBT.

The Catch 22 situation was that I couldn't chase it up or lodge a proper appeal because I was too ill!
If I had felt better, I would have been able to present my case, describe my symtoms and recall incidents of concern much better.
All not possible when struggling just to put one foot in front of the other, or to remember to comb my hair etc. I was incapable of taking the steps to change my G.P. I did try once, one Surgery said, phone back when the large student population moves on at the end of term and the other wouldn't register a patient that already had a G.P.
Having used all my energy and planning ability just to make these phone calls, (during a good patch). I jsut wasn't able to follow through with either of them later.

At least now I am happier, I might even break into song now and again!

Tess, I find that with the fm, cfs I have, it's very hard not to procrastinate and let things slide, e.g. forms and claims etc.
I had a DLA form years ago but couldn't fill it in, and no help anywhere that I knew of, so I let it slide, yet I see others getting DLA who manage much better than I have and who have more support than me.

A vicious circle really isn't it?

take care all

Lizxx

Liz,
Those forms are very daunting arn't they.

They take up such a lot of energy and really got me muddled. So much easier to do (or try to do) the things that need doing NOW, eg have a wash, get dressed, eat something etc.

Oh well, it's all in the past now. I managed to get such labour saving devices as a microwave and a toaster. At one time I had chairs placed in stragic places of the house, eg at the bottom of the stairs, so that I could have a rest after walking along the hall and before going up the stairs on all fours!
Not quite as weak as that now. I think that now I don't keep thinking "I must get well enough to go back to work" a lot of the worry and feeling of guilt has vanished. I only have to please myself and I'm easily pleased!

Seeing new places via the internet has given me a new lease of life too. Of course, being able to do some of my family tree from my own home has been exciting and has given me an interest (and challenge) as well as making me use my brain.

Hope that your health improves and that you have a really good 2010.

Tess

Julie, this might have been the kind of therapy your doctor was talking about, if you can get it free, why not give it a try?

Lizx